


Courting

by SevenCorvus



Series: Kink Bingo (2011) [8]
Category: Mission: Impossible (Movies), Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol (2011)
Genre: Community: kink_bingo, Courtship, M/M, One Shot, Pre-Slash, Prompt Fic, Slash, Writing on Skin
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-06-18
Updated: 2012-06-18
Packaged: 2017-11-08 00:24:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 676
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/437072
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SevenCorvus/pseuds/SevenCorvus
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>William Brandt had always prided himself on his calm professionalism, his ability to examine a situation logically and determine what actions were best.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Courting

**Author's Note:**

> Written for the "writing on the body" square at [kink bingo](http://kink-bingo.dreamwidth.org/). The rest of my card can be found [here](http://sevencorvus.livejournal.com/24707.html). ldf, thank you so much for all the help. Feedback is love and will be rewarded with cookies (and smut).

William Brandt had always prided himself on his calm professionalism, his ability to examine a situation logically and determine what actions were best. After all, in his chosen profession you did not last long if you weren't able to adapt and roll with the punches, literally or figuratively. As Chief Analyst of IMF, he kept his thoughts hidden behind that professionalism, concealing any worry or concerns, knowing no good would come of showing them. He had been determined to keep that mask and perspective in place, when meeting Ethan Hunt face to face for the first time, but had not counted on the effect of Ethan himself.

From the beginning Ethan had pushed him, challenged him, demanding a pen, and with a crude drawing and a verbal description, expected him to have answers. It was exhilarating and frightening; the way the man demanded he keep up and somehow trusted that he would. Even though he was an analyst now, was no longer accustomed to field work, Ethan was not content to let him coast, let him slip back into his professional demeanor. He kept demanding more, more answers, more trust.

Brandt thought it was temporary, that after the mission, after Ethan had read his file, he would be content to leave him alone. Instead he pushed more, wanting Brandt on his team, even though there was no reason he should. Not letting him get by with a refusal, but showing enormous trust by divulging a secret that no one else knew. After that, Will couldn't say no. He decided to give the team a shot, and if things didn't work out, then he could always go back to being an analyst. And if a part of him was intrigued by the idea of spending more time with Ethan, that was of no importance.

He worked hard, making sure he was in top shape, mentally and physically, not wanting to let down his team, or Ethan. It was hard, adjusting back to field work, to working so closely with others, relying on them to have his back. Benji and Carter tried to make it easier, Benji with his jokes, and Carter with her dependable skills and presence. It became easier for Will to relax with them, to joke back with Benji and spar with Carter, to depend on their experience and talent in the field. Ethan, though, was a different story.

Will had tried to figure out what his place in this team was, his place with Ethan, and thought that he had figured it out. He was the next most experienced agent besides Ethan, the one he turned to to bounce ideas off of, the one the others looked to try to talk Ethan down from some insane stunt or other. And as time went by, and more missions were completed successfully, he grew more comfortable in this role. But Ethan constantly pushed for more, pushed for him to let go of his need to constantly plan out every little detail, pushed for him to relax his professional demeanor and open up more, to the team, and to Ethan.

Brandt might have gotten more upset and frustrated with the man, if he hadn't done it in some of the most ridiculous, yet almost intimate ways. Yes he dragged Will to the range, to movie night with the team, out rock climbing. But he also continued to use himself as a sketch pad. Drawing pictures of targets for Brandt to identify instead of taking photos, or writing suggestions of what they should do on a mission so there wasn't a risk of being overheard.

He wrote other things as well: quotes, lyrics from Will's favorite songs, little messages that he would flash at the most random times. And Will couldn't help but feel like he was being courted, that Ethan was writing him love notes on his own skin where anyone could see. It was ludicrous and heart warming, and he didn't know what to do, until he decided that perhaps it was time he wrote back.


End file.
